Tiefling
"Every event is preceded by prophecy, and every prophecy by event." -Veloth Xenophobic and aloof, Tiefling society is largely structured around ancestor worship, with heavy emphasis placed on arts that portray history such as poetry and song, though perhaps due to their dispositions that have been tempered over millenia by war and fire. In the Mythic Era, the Tiefling was left largely to their own accord - isolating themselves on Caldera from the War In Heaven raging in the Heartlands, they found purpose in song and prose. It was during this time that many of the Tiefling Noble Houses were formed, of which there are now few. It was also sometime toward the end of this era that Othiris the Warrior Poet was born. In the First Era, an extensive war was fought over Caldera against the would-be conquering Aeytheri. Where before the Noble Houses were isolated from one another in thought and strata, Velmora - a sorceress general of House Velmanir - united them under one banner with Othiris as her Lieutenant. The war concluded at the battle of Gorgon's Mouth (the name for the volcano central to Caldera) with the defeat of the Aeytheri. Seeing the Alliance's weakened state, an unnamed leader of the Forsaken House summoned an enormous Daemon from the pits of the Mouth. Somehow, it is said that Othiris and Velmora joined in body and mind to defeat this creature, becoming the god known now as Veloth. During the Second Era, there was another failed conquest of Caldera by Trajan I who in part underestimated the capabilities of the Tiefling and their God. During the Third Era, there was a successful peaceful annexation of Caldera by Trajan II who in an attempt to avoid war allowed the Tieflings to keep most of their cultural heritage (a luxury not afforded to other races), including slavery. Veloth agreed, seeing the battles that would bloody the ash for eternity. Now, Caldera is a much different place than it was years ago. Again the Tieflings have isolated themselves after the fall of the Empire, and entry into Caldera is met with death. It is unknown what Tiefling society is like now, but what can be said is that Tiefling exodites would share stories of a new and horrible King, one who from the pits rose to rule over his people and usher them into a new age of Tiefling dominance - through fire and blood. Culture Tiefling culture is structured mostly around ancestor worship, with enormous and elaborate tombs housing the venerated bones of the dead. Pilgrimages are made to these tombs to sing songs of lament and write poems of remembrance. A Tiefling's upbringing is based on the noble house in which they are born under, and all Tieflings are members of a noble house, regardless of their blood. All of them, however, share a commonality in the emphasis put upon them to learn the art of prose and to prove themselves worthy of their ancestral blood. Tiefling society is structured around the now deified Veloth who, as far as anyone can tell, is a literal being who rules over Gran Quellar. A tiefling may worship the Vigil, though will often add to their ranks Veloth. This is of course considered heretical by Holy Setia, and so worship of Veloth after the fall of the Empire is now a tabboo in Heartland society. The teachings of Veloth are numerous, and are genrally summed up within the Nine Cantos of Veloth -- an extensive series of poems written by Veloth to be a paradigm for what sort of person a Tiefling ought to strive to be. Noble Houses House Velmanir:' ' Velmanir are the Wizard lords of the Northern sector of Caldera. Theirs is a subculture dedicated to the learning of the Arcane, and in truth some of the most powerful Wizards of all time come from House Velmanir. Often, a Velmanir wizard can be seen wearing their golden-silk robes licked with flames from the ever-flowing lava of Gorgon's Mouth. Generally speaking: Velmanir cares very little for the goings on of Outlanders. House Zennifair: It governs the Zennifair district of Caldera (the western-central area of Caldera), from its ancient capital of Branora. House Zennifair can be characterized as adaptable and opportunistic, and any morals come second to business. The House is largely concerned with business and diplomacy, seeking to strengthen ties with at times unconventional allies such as the Empire, and although profit is often the primary objective, traditional Zennifair practice recognizes the value of good reputation over money. This is their great strength - they are fast talkers and intelligent traders. House Zennifair retainers are also masters of thievery, sneaking, lock-picking, blackmailing, and backstabbery. While some councilors are honest and fair, others are more under-handed. However, Zennifair's most distinguishing characteristic is its willingness to live in harmony with other races, setting it apart from the other, occasionally xenophobic Great Houses of Caldera. House Kannebor: is one of the 3 traditional Great Houses of Caldera. It governs the Kannebor district of Caldera (Northwest, North, and Central Caldera), from its capital of Kalossi. House Kannebor can be described as martial and traditional. The House is largely concerned with obtaining its riches from exertion of power among the non-affiliated peoples of its sector. Originally, House Kannebor came about as a minor faction in the North - being spawned from exiles of House Dreygu and Zolfura, it grew so powerful that it eventually absorbed both Houses, creating a new, more powerful house that would adhere to tradition at nearly all costs. This has put Kannebor at odds with the Empire (and Veloth) who have incompatible views on issues such as slavery and sacrifice. House Kannebor was poised for rebellion during the provincialization of Caldera, though an exception was made regarding slavery to prevent what otherwise would have been a catastrophically long war for the Tiefling. Traits '''Prophecy and Poetry: '''Your charisma score increases by 2, and your intelligence by 1. '''Ancestor Worship: '''You gain proficiency in History. When making a history check related to Tiefling society, that proficiency is doubled. '''Infernal Legacy: '''You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the hellish rebuke spell once per day as a 2nd level spell. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the darkness spell once per day. Charisma is your spellcasting attribute for these spells. '''Fire Resistance: '''Tempered by the hellish flames of Caldera, a Tiefling can palm fire with very little pain. Fire damage against you is halved. '''Age: '''Tieflings mature at a similar rate to humans, though live slightly longer. '''Alignment: '''Tieflings have a tendency toward chaos. '''Size: '''Tieflings are about the same size as humans, though slightly more slender and gaunt. '''Languages: '''You can speak, read, and write Common and Infernal.